Shoe with improved structure

ABSTRACT

A shoe including an outer sole assembly and an upper. The shoe extends lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral side and a medial side, and height-wise from the outer sole assembly to an upper end. The shoe further includes a first shell and a reinforcing structure arranged opposite the first shell. The reinforcing structure includes holes on at least a portion of its surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon French Patent Application No. 15/00139,filed Jan. 23, 2015, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is claimedunder 35 U.S.C. §119.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a walking or sports shoe that can be used indisciplines such as running on level, hilly, or mountainous terrain,skateboarding, ball sports, cross-country or telemark skiing,snowboarding, snowshoeing, and others.

2. Background Information

Depending upon the intended uses, a shoe such as those of theaforementioned types must have a certain flexibility and dampingcapability. Flexibility must be understood as an ability to followcertain deformations of the foot of a user. This is intended, forexample, to enable good foot rolling movement or tilting of the lowerleg in relation to the foot when walking or running. Damping is intendedto reduce or even prevent fatigue or injuries that may result fromsupports or impacts on the ground, or from various stresses.

Thus, it is known to manufacture a shoe comprising an outer soleassembly and an upper. The shoe typically includes at least one flexibleshell provided to cover the foot directly or indirectly. The shell isintegral with the upper. The shell is associated with a base, such as alasting sole, to form a footwear element. The lasting sole is integralwith an inner sole assembly. The shell of the shoe extends in particularin the area of a lateral side and a medial side, and sometimes also inthe area of a substantial portion of the lasting sole. This structure isconventional.

The shell is bonded to the lasting sole using an adhesive layer, forexample. The lasting sole, also referred to as the lasting board, isrelatively rigid to withstand the lasting process, such as the heat andpressure thereof. The bonding operation is carried out by pulling theshell and pressing it onto the lasting board, knowing that a last isinserted in the footwear element. This is referred to as the traditionalshoe lasting assembly. This technique makes it possible to exertsufficient pressure when heating the adhesive in order to manufacturethe footwear element.

Alternatively, the footwear element is made, for example, by affixingthe shell to the lasting sole by means of stitching. This is referred toas the Strobel assembly. The sole is a flexible, stitchable elementreferred to as the Strobel sole.

Irrespective of the method used for the manufacture of the shoe, thefootwear element is affixed to the outer sole assembly, for example bymeans of an adhesive layer. In the end, the shoe has a certainflexibility and a certain damping capability.

The shoe must also fulfill various and sometimes contradictoryfunctions, such as protecting the foot from shocks or impacts that mayoccur during use, ensuring support and/or sufficient tightening of thefoot while providing satisfactory comfort, or the like. For this reason,a shoe is typically provided with one or more reinforcing structures.

For example, in order to protect the toes against possible shocks fromobstacles, the front end of the shoe comprises a protective toe cap.Such toe cap is often comprised of a layer of synthetic material,arranged opposite the shell in the area of the front end of the shoe.This layer reinforces the shell, by reducing its ability to deform whereit extends.

Another example of reinforcing structure is that of an elementconnecting the base of the footwear element and keepers arranged towardsan upper end of the shell. In this case, the reinforcing structurecontributes to the tightening of the shoe upper, thereby allowing for aminimum of foot support.

In any case, the reinforcing structure fulfils a specific function thataims to optimize the use of the shoe.

Therefore, it can generally be said that a flexible shoe provided withat least one reinforcing structure according to the prior art is broadlysatisfactory. But drawbacks remain, which are observed sometimes duringwalking, or sometimes during intense sporting activity.

A first drawback is as follows: the known shoe at least partiallyhinders the rolling movement of the foot, especially for running, due tothe presence of one or more reinforcing structures. More specifically,the hindrance occurs at the boundary separating a zone provided with areinforcing structure and a zone not provided with a reinforcingstructure. The flexibility of the upper varies abruptly on both sides ofthis boundary. It follows that the rolling movement of the foot is notsufficiently smooth, not sufficiently gradual, as it is disturbed in thearea of the boundary. It also follows that the transmission of sensoryinformation, supports, impacts, and other stresses is slightly uneven,or slightly inaccurate. In other words, a shoe according to the priorart lacks homogeneity in its behavior.

Another drawback is that of comfort. Comfort is not homogeneous, thatis, not consistent in various locations of the shoe. Indeed, comfort canbe altered in the location where a reinforcing structure extends,particularly during difficult conditions of use such as during mountainraces. The alteration of comfort is correlated with the difference inflexibility of the upper, on both sides of the boundary between a zoneprovided with a reinforcing structure and a zone not provided with areinforcing structure. It is particularly observed that the boundarybetween these zones can sometimes form a relatively non-deformable fold,which is likely to be a source of injury to the user.

Another drawback is related to inertia. Each reinforcing structureincreases the weight of the shoe, thereby causing additional fatigue forthe user.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing, the invention provides an improved shoe.

In particular, the invention facilitates the foot rolling movement in ashoe provided with at least one reinforcing structure. That is to say,the invention makes the foot rolling movement smoother, more gradual.The invention also makes the transmission of sensory information,supports, impacts, and other stresses, smoother and more accurate. Inother words, the invention seeks to make the behavior of the shoe moreconsistent.

The invention also improves the comfort of a shoe, by making comfortmore homogeneous, that is to say, almost consistent, or completelyconsistent, in various locations of the shoe. The invention providesthat the foot is wrapped in a more gradual manner.

Furthermore, the invention lightens the structure of the shoe as much aspossible, in order to reduce user fatigue.

Towards these ends, the invention provides a shoe comprising an outersole assembly and an upper, the shoe extending lengthwise from a rearend to a front end, widthwise between a lateral side and a medial side,and height-wise from the outer sole assembly to an upper end, the shoecomprising a first shell and further comprising a reinforcing structurearranged opposite the first shell.

The reinforcing structure of a shoe according to the invention has holeson at least a portion of its surface. It will be shown more clearlybelow that this means in particular that at least one cavity and/or atleast one opening is arranged in the reinforcement. Each hole, eachcavity, each opening can have any shape, such as that of a slit orotherwise.

For one of the given dimensions of the reinforcement, that is to say,for a given perimeter or for a given thickness thereof, having holesmakes the reinforcement lighter. The holes, such as cavities or openingsof various shapes, reduce the amount of material required to make thereinforcement.

Due to its structure, the reinforcement is also more flexible, moredeformable, for example in the event of an impact against an obstacle,while nevertheless keeping a certain resistance to the compressioncaused by the impact. As a result, the first shell can also flex in thelocation where it extends opposite the reinforcing structure. In otherwords, providing holes in the reinforcing structure increases thesurface of the shell that can be deformed in flexion. It can also besaid that in the area of a reinforcing structure, the shoe upper iscapable of undergoing a reversible recessed deformation, even if suchdeformation is less than in zones devoid of reinforcing structure. Theholes enable the reinforcement to deform more easily, thereby providingmore flexibility. Also, the shell can be deformed more smoothly in thearea of a boundary between a zone opposite the reinforcing structure anda zone away from the reinforcing structure.

The resulting advantages include a better foot rolling movement, that isto say, a smoother and more gradual rolling movement. The difference inflexural strength between a zone of the upper provided with areinforcing structure and a zone devoid of reinforcing structure isindeed reduced, compared to what has been observed on a shoe accordingto the prior art.

As a result of the foot rolling movement, the transmission of sensoryinformation, supports, impacts, and other stresses is also moreconsistent and/or more accurate for a shoe according to the invention.It can be said that due to the invention, the behavior of the shoe ismore precise.

Another advantage provided by the invention is improved comfort. Comfortis more homogeneous, that is to say, almost consistent, or consistent,in various locations of the shoe. In other words, comfort varies little,if at all, from a zone devoid of reinforcing structure to a zoneprovided with a reinforcing structure. It can be said, for example, thatthe boundary between two zones of the shell, one opposite thereinforcing structure and the other not opposite the reinforcingstructure, remains sufficiently flexible to protect the foot of theuser. This means that this boundary is not a source of injuries.

The invention also makes it possible to reduce user fatigue, because theholes, the cavities or the openings of the reinforcing structureslighten the shoe.

It can more generally be said that the invention provides an improvedshoe, compared to existing shoes from the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be betterunderstood from the description which follows, with reference to theannexed drawings illustrating, by way of non-limiting embodiments, howthe invention can be carried out, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a shoe according to a firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective front view of the shoe of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a subassembly comprising a shell, areinforcing structure, and a fitting (or cover);

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-section, in an exploded view, along theline IV-IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, in a case in which the first footwearelement is affixed to the sole assembly;

FIG. 6 is a partial enlargement of the shoe according to of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, for a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective front view of a shoe according to a thirdembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective rear view of the shoe according to FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective front view of the shoe according toFIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The first embodiment to be described relates, for example, to a shoe forwalking or running on level, hilly, or mountainous terrain. However, theinvention is applicable to other disciplines such as those mentionedabove. The term “shoe” is used here for convenience, but is not intendedto limit the scope of the invention from what would be encompassed bythe use of the term “footwear” or “article of footwear.”

The first embodiment is described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, a walking or running shoe 1 is provided to receivethe foot of the user. The shoe 1 comprises an outer sole assembly 2 andan upper 3 arranged on the sole assembly. The shoe extends lengthwisealong a longitudinal direction L, between a rear end or heel 4 and afront end or tip 5, and widthwise along a transverse direction W,between a lateral side 6 and a medial side 7.

As shown, the upper 3 includes a lower portion 10 configured to surroundthe foot. Alternatively, the upper can also include an upper portionconfigured to surround the ankle of the user, and possibly the lowerleg.

According to the first embodiment described herein, the shoe 1 extendsheight-wise from the bottom of the outer sole assembly 2 up to the topof the upper end 12, that is to say, to the free end of the lowerportion 10 or of the upper 3.

The shoe 1 is structured to enable good foot rolling movement duringwalking, as well as transmission of sensory information and impulses forsupports or landings. This is why the outer sole assembly 2 and theupper 3 are relatively flexible. Such foot rolling movement relates, forexample, to the bending of the shoe in an area corresponding to theflexing at the ball of the foot, that is, at the metatarsal-phalangealjoint as the heel of the user is raised.

The shoe 1 further comprises a first tightening device 15, or firstupper-tightener, configured to reversibly tighten the upper 3. Thisdevice 15 is not described in detail here as it is well known to one ofordinary skill in the art. For example, the tightening device 15 caninclude keepers 16 positioned on the upper, as well as a lace or linkage17 extending through the keepers. Alternatively, still in the scope ofthe invention, the shoe 1 can be configured so as to omit a tighteningdevice. In addition, the upper 3 can be selectively provided that iscontinuous from the lateral side 6 to the medial side 7 or,alternatively, the upper can be configured that is discontinuous fromthe lateral side 6 to the medial side 7.

As shown in particular in exploded view of FIG. 2, the shoe 1 includes,successively from the outer sole assembly 2, a first footwear element18, a reinforcing structure 19, and a fitting 20. The making andimplementation of these elements in the shoe are addressed in stagesthroughout the following description.

The footwear element 18 will first be described. The footwear elementincludes a first shell 21 and a first base 22. It will be shown betterlater, and in a non-limiting fashion, that the first base 22 here is alasting sole, generally simply referred to as the lasting board. Thefirst shell 21 is configured to cover the foot of the user. The shell 21extends lengthwise from a rear end 24 to a front end 25, widthwisebetween a lateral side 26 and medial side 27, and height-wise from thebase 22 to an upper end 32.

The reinforcing structure 19, or reinforcement, which is described ingreater detail below, is arranged opposite the first shell 21. Morespecifically, and in a non-limiting manner, the reinforcing structure 19here is affixed to the first shell 21 in the area of the front end 25thereof, and so as to at least partially cover such end. It can be saidmore simply that the reinforcing structure 19 covers the first shell 21,although it does not extend over the entire surface of the shell 21. Thereinforcing structure 19 is therefore located outside of the shell 21.Nevertheless, an alternative construction can be provided, for which thereinforcing structure is located within the first shell 21.

According to the invention, the reinforcing structure 19 has holes 33,34, 35, 36, 37, 38 on at least a portion of its surface. For one of thegiven dimensions of the reinforcement, that is to say, particularly fora given perimeter or for a given thickness thereof, having holes makesthe reinforcement lighter. The holes, such as cavities or openings ofvarious shapes, including those having open peripheries to form slots,for example, reduce the amount of material required to make thereinforcement.

Due to its structure, the reinforcement 19 is also more flexible, moredeformable, for example in the event of an impact against an obstacle,while nevertheless keeping a certain resistance to the compressioncaused by the impact. As a result, the first shell can also flex in thelocation where it extends opposite the reinforcing structure. In otherwords, having holes arranged in the reinforcing structure increases thesurface of the shell that can be deformed in flexion. It can further besaid that in the area of a reinforcing structure, the shoe upper isconfigured to be capable of undergoing reversible flexural deformation.Such deformation can be a recess, even if such deformation is less thanin zones devoid of reinforcing structure. Also, the shell can bedeformed more smoothly, in the area of a boundary between a zoneopposite the reinforcing structure and a zone away from the reinforcingstructure.

This enables better foot rolling movement, that is to say, a smootherand more gradual rolling movement. The difference in flexural strengthbetween a zone of the upper provided with a reinforcing structure and azone devoid of reinforcing structure is indeed reduced, compared to whathas been observed on a shoe according to the prior art.

As a result of the rolling movement of the foot, the transmissions ofsensory information, supports, impacts, and other stresses is alsosmoother and/or more accurate for a shoe according to the invention. Itcan be said that, due to the invention, the behavior of the shoe is moreprecise.

The invention also provides improved comfort. Comfort is more uniform orhomogeneous, that is to say, consistent or substantially consistent, invarious locations of the shoe. In other words, comfort varies little, ifat all, from a zone devoid of reinforcing structure to a zone providedwith a reinforcing structure. It can be said, for example, that theboundary between two zones of the shell, one opposite the reinforcingstructure and the other not opposite the reinforcing structure, remainssufficiently flexible to protect the user's foot. This means that thisboundary is not a source of injury.

The invention also makes it possible to reduce user fatigue, because theholes, the cavities, or the openings of the reinforcing structureslighten the shoe.

Still according to the first embodiment, and in a non-limiting manner,the reinforcing structure 19, or reinforcement, comprises an arc-shapedtoe cap 39, the toe cap 39 having a lateral arm 46 and a medial arm 47connected to one another by a front bridge 48, the toe cap 39 extendingheight-wise between a lower edge 49 and an upper edge 50, the toe cap 39extending lengthwise between the front bridge 48 and the lateral end 51of the lateral arm 46, on the one hand, and between the front bridge 48and the medial end 52 of the medial arm 47, on the other hand. Here, thelateral 51 and medial 52 ends are free, in the sense that theyconstitute the rear boundaries of the toe cap 39. As explained below,this is not always the case. In this arc-shaped configuration, however,the toe cap 39 reinforces the front end 25 of the first shell 21. It canalso be said that the toe cap 39 reinforces the front end 5 of the shoe1. The reinforcing effect is balanced by the presence of the holes 33,34, 35, 36, 37, 38, which provides a certain flexibility to the shell 21and, therefore, to the upper 3. This advantageously results in a betteruser's perception of the contacts with the ground or an obstacle, ofsensory information, or the like, which occur in the area of the toes.The greater flexibility of the shoe in the area of the toe cap 39 alsoenables a smoother rolling movement of the forefoot. This increases thestability of the supports on the ground and reduces user fatigue.

In a non-limiting manner, as can be seen in particular in FIGS. 1, 2,and 3, the holes 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 of the reinforcing structure 19at least partly are slots or slits, hereinafter “slits” for convenience.In fact, for the first embodiment of the invention, the holes 33, 34,35, 36, 37, 38 of the toe cap 39 at least partly are slits. Such slitsextend through the reinforcing structure. However, as described below,the holes may not extend through the reinforcing structure, and thus canconstitute a thinning of the reinforcing structure. The slits have edgesthat come closer to or move apart from one another when the shoe isdeformed in relation to the foot during use. This means that the widthof each slit can vary during use of the shoe. It follows that thereinforcing structure 19, namely the toe cap 39, has a variablegeometry. The volume demarcated by the toe cap can decrease, whichcorresponds to a narrowing of the slits, and then reassume its originaldimensions, or even increase, which corresponds to a widening of theslits. These variations in volume of the toe cap 39 provide gradualdeformations of the first shell 21 for greater foot comfort.

The slits 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 at least partly open out in the area ofthe upper edge 50 of the toe cap 39. The slits therefore open out in thearea of the edge of the toe cap 39 that is closest to the upper end 12of the shoe 1, that is to say, also in the area of the edge of the toecap that is farthest from the sole assembly 2. Consequently, theuppermost portion of the toe cap, closest to the upper end 12, is themost capable of deformation. As a result, the flexibility of the upper3, or the flexibility of the shell 21, decreases from the upper end 12to the sole assembly 2, that is, from the upper end 12 to the base 22.The decrease in flexibility is progressive, which optimizes theperception of sensory information by the user.

For example, the slits 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 at least partly arecurved. This limits or even completely prevents the formation of foldsin the area of the first shell 21 when the upper flexes. Therefore, theshell 21 has a smoother surface during rolling movement of the foot,which greatly reduces the risk of injury. Indeed, a fold may causediscomfort because it stiffens the shell.

Still according to the first embodiment, the lateral arm 46 of the toecap 39 has slits 33, 34, 35, and the medial arm 47 of the toe cap 39 hasslits 36, 37, 38. Here, the slits are distributed in equal number on thelateral side 6 and the medial side 7 of the shoe. The lateral side 6 hasthree slits 33, 34, 35 and the medial side 7 has three slits 36, 37, 38.This enables the sides 6, 7 to deform in a similar manner, for a bettertransverse balance in the transmission of forces, the perception ofsensory information, or the like. The accuracy of the supports only getsbetter. The slits are six in number in the illustrated embodiment, butthis number is merely exemplary. The invention encompasses embodimentsin which the toe cap 39 has less than six slits or more than six slits.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shoe 1 includes a fitting 20, previouslymentioned above, which at least partially covers the reinforcement 19,or reinforcing structure, and at least partially covers the first shell21. It follows, as a corollary, that a subdivision of the reinforcingstructure, or the entire reinforcing structure, is sandwiched betweenthe first shell 21 and the fitting 20. This has the advantage of furtherimproving the gradual variation in bending of the upper 3 from the upperend 12 to the sole assembly 2. As a non-limiting example, the fitting 20is comprised of a film of synthetic material. It can be a film ofpolyurethane, polyamide, or any equivalent material. The film thicknessis less than 0.5 millimeters, and films having a thickness less than 0.1millimeters yield very good results.

With respect to its extent, the fitting 20, in a non-limiting manner, ispresent almost everywhere on the shoe 1. The fitting extends lengthwisefrom a rear end 54 to a front end 55, widthwise between a lateral side56 and a medial side 57, and height-wise from a base 58 to an upper end59. The rear end 54, the front end 55, the lateral side 56, the medialside 57, the base 58, and the upper end 59 of the fitting are in thearea of the rear end 4, the front end 5, the lateral side 6, the medialside 7, the sole assembly 2, and the upper end 12, respectively, of theshoe 1. The fitting can fulfill protective functions for protecting thefirst shell 21, decorative functions, or the like, as described below.

Finally, with respect to its structure, the upper 3 comprises the firstshell 21, a significant portion of the reinforcing structure 19, and asignificant portion of the fitting 20. The assembly of these elements toone another is schematically shown in FIG. 3. In a non-limiting manner,the first shell 21, the toe cap or reinforcing structure 19, and thefitting 20 are initially planar elements, that is to say, they extend intwo dimensions. The elements are superposed and then affixed to oneanother by any suitable technique, such as gluing, stitching, or thelike. Once joined, the elements constitute a subassembly that makes itpossible to move further in the manufacture of the shoe 1, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5.

First, FIG. 4 shows that the aforementioned subassembly has been shapedin three dimensions and its shape is maintained by the lasting board 22by means of the stitching 60, for example. Although not required for theinvention, the illustrated embodiment of the shoe 1 includes an insole61. It follows, then, that the shoe 1 includes an inner sole assembly62, which includes the lasting board or base 22 and, where appropriate,the insole 61. This improves the hygienic qualities of the shoe.

As also shown in FIG. 4, and in a non-limiting manner, the outer soleassembly 2 includes a plurality of layers, such as, for example, a wearlayer 63 configured to contact the ground, and a damping layer 64interposed between the wear layer 63 and the first footwear element 18.The wear layer 63 can comprise rubber and/or any abrasion-resistantmaterial. The damping layer 64 comprises an absorbent material, such asa shock-absorbent material such as ethyl vinyl acetate foam (EVA) or anyequivalent. The outer sole assembly 2 can comprise a single layer or twolayers or, alternatively, three or more layers, as well as portions oflayers.

Still according to the first embodiment, the outer sole assembly 2 has alip 65 in the area of junction with the first footwear element 18, inorder to increase the surface of contact with the footwear element.Here, the lip extends from the damping layer 64. The lip 65 iscontinuous and follows the periphery of the outer sole assembly 2.Alternatively, the lip can be structured to be segmented ordiscontinuous. However, a continuous lip increases the useful surfacefor adhesively affixing the sole assembly 2 to the first footwearelement 18. This affixation is shown in FIG. 5. It is clearly shown thatthe lip 65 extends partially opposite the upper 3, that is to say, alsopartially opposite the first shell 21, the fitting 20, or thereinforcing structure 19.

The finished shoe 1 is shown in an enlarged partial view in FIG. 6. Thisis intended in particular to better reflect the role of the fitting 20.As has already been shown, the fitting 20 partially covers the toe cap19 and partially covers the first shell 21. In a non-limiting manner,the constituent film of the fitting 20 is transparent or translucent.This makes it possible, for example, to visually check the quality ofthe assembly of the reinforcing structure 19 with the first shell 21, inparticular with respect to its hold over time. This also provides aparticular aesthetic effect to the shoe 1, an effect which can beadvantageous.

Other embodiments of the invention are presented below with reference toFIGS. 7 to 10. For reasons of convenience, mainly the differences fromthe first embodiment are highlighted.

The second embodiment according to FIG. 7 features a shoe 1, includingan outer sole assembly 2 and an upper 3, which comprises a first shell21, a first reinforcing structure 19, and a fitting 20. Here again, thereinforcing structure 19 is an arc-shaped toe cap 39 with a lateral arm46, a medial arm 47 not visible in FIG. 7, and a front bridge 48. Thetoe cap 39 extends height-wise between a lower edge 49 and an upper edge50.

Specific to the second embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 7, isthe distribution of holes arranged in the reinforcement 19, orreinforcing structure. In a non-limiting manner, at least some of theholes are slits 71, 72, 73, 74 arranged away from the contour of the toecap 39. This means that these slits do not open out in the area of thecontour of the toe cap, by remaining separated from the lower edge 49and upper edge 50. The slits here have different sizes, in particulardifferent lengths. This makes it possible to provide flexibility in eachzone of the toe cap. Although there are four holes, or slits, in thiscase, for example, other embodiments may have a number of holes smalleror greater than four.

The third embodiment according to FIGS. 8 to 10 also features a shoe 1,including an outer sole assembly 2 and an upper 3 that includes a firstshell 21, a first reinforcing structure 19, and a fitting 20.

Specific to the third embodiment is that which relates in particular tothe reinforcement 19, or reinforcing structure. In general, thereinforcing structure 19 includes a lateral wall 86 and a medial wall87. In a non-limiting manner, each wall 86, 87 covers the first shell,in the sense that it is arranged outside of the latter. Here again, analternative construction is that for which each wall is arranged withinthe first shell, but the external arrangement brings more comfort.

Similar to what has been shown for the toe cap 39, the lateral wall 86has holes 88, and the medial wall has holes 89. This is also designed tomodify the flexibility of the walls, and therefore the flexibility ofthe lateral 6 and medial 7 sides of the upper 3 of the shoe. The holeshave different sizes, and various forms, such as triangles, or the like.

In the spirit of what has been described above, keepers 16 are arrangedin the area of the lateral wall 86 of the reinforcing structure, andkeepers 16 are arranged in the area of the medial wall 87 of thereinforcing structure. This enables the foot to be wrapped moreconsistently and more comfortably, because tightening is more gradual.

The reinforcing structure 19 also comprises a rear bridge 90 connectingthe lateral wall 86 to the medial wall 87. Thus, the rear bridge 90 actsas a stiffener for the shoe, for better support of the heel of the foot.

In a non-limiting manner, the toe cap 39, the lateral wall 86, and themedial wall 87 form a unitary element, that is, a one-piece element.More broadly, the toe cap 39, the lateral wall 86, the rear bridge 90,and the medial wall 87 form a unitary element. This facilitates themanufacture of the reinforcing structure 19. In this spirit, forexample, the reinforcing structure is made of a synthetic material, suchas polyurethane, polyamide, or any equivalent material.

In any case, the invention is made from materials and according toimplementation techniques known to one with ordinary skill in the art.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, andincludes all technical equivalents that fall within the scope of theclaims that follow.

In particular, various arrangements may be provided for the reinforcingstructure, or for the fitting.

For example, in the embodiments discussed and shown, the holescompletely extend through the reinforcing structure. This means that theholes have a depth that is equal to the thickness of the reinforcingstructure. Alternatively, embodiments may be provided for which one ormore holes, or all of the holes, have a depth that is less than thethickness of the reinforcing structure. The holes recess the reinforcingstructure without extending therethrough. In this case, they may bevisible and open out on the side of the fitting, or they may beinvisible and open out on the side of the first shell.

This corresponds to the spirit of the invention, as the objective is toweaken the reinforcing structure so as to enable an amount of flexing ofthe upper in the area of the structure, despite the presence of thisstructure. In this sense, the invention goes against a preconception.

One can also provide making the holes in the reinforcing structure, andfilling them totally or partially with a softer material than theconstituent material of the reinforcing structure.

In any case, the reinforcing structure has one or more zones for whichthe mechanical strength is reduced, compared to other zones of thestructure.

Lastly, at least because the invention is disclosed herein in a mannerthat enables one to make and use it, by virtue of the disclosure ofparticular exemplary embodiments of the invention, the invention can bepracticed in the absence of any additional element or additionalstructure that is not specifically disclosed herein.

1. A shoe comprising: an outer sole assembly; and an upper; a lengthextending from a rear end to a front end; a width extending from alateral side to a medial side; and a height extending from a bottom ofthe outer sole assembly to an upper end of the upper; the uppercomprising: a first shell; a reinforcement positioned opposite the firstshell; on at least a portion of a surface of the reinforcement havingholes.
 2. A shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the reinforcementcomprises an arc-shaped toe cap; the toe cap comprises; a lateral arm; amedial arm; and a front bridge connecting the lateral arm to the medialarm; the toe cap extending height-wise between a lower edge and an upperedge; the toe cap extending lengthwise between the front bridge and thelateral end of the lateral arm, and lengthwise between the front bridgeand the medial end of the medial arm.
 3. A shoe according to claim 1,wherein: at least a plurality of the holes of the reinforcement areslits.
 4. A shoe according to claim 2, wherein: at least a plurality ofthe holes of the reinforcement are slits.
 5. A shoe according to claim4, wherein: each of the plurality of the slits at least partly open outin an area of the upper edge of the toe cap.
 6. A shoe according toclaim 3, wherein: the slits at least partly are curved.
 7. A shoeaccording to claim 4, wherein: the slits at least partly are curved. 8.A shoe according to claim 4, wherein: the lateral arm of the toe cap hasslits; and the medial arm of the toe cap has slits.
 9. A shoe accordingto claim 1, wherein: the reinforcement comprises a lateral wall (86) anda medial wall.
 10. A shoe according to claim 9, wherein: the lateralwall has holes; and the medial wall has holes.
 11. A shoe according toclaim 9, wherein: keepers are arranged in the lateral wall; and keepersare arranged in the medial wall.
 12. A shoe according to claim 9,wherein: the reinforcement further comprises a rear bridge connectingthe lateral wall to the medial wall.
 13. A shoe according to claim 1,wherein: the reinforcement covers the first shell.
 14. A shoe accordingto claim 9, wherein: the toe cap, the lateral wall, and the medial wallform a unitary element.
 15. A shoe according to claim 1, wherein: thereinforcement is comprised of a synthetic material.
 16. A shoe accordingto claim 1, further comprising: a fitting at least partially coveringthe reinforcement and at least partially covering the first shell.
 17. Ashoe according to claim 16, wherein: the fitting is comprised of a filmof synthetic material.